


The Star Against His Cheek

by VinVictory



Series: Loving Holidays [1]
Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Angst, But there's more to their feeings than just platonic love, Christmas Special 2016, Fluff, Keith and Lance are actually best friends, Klance klance klance coming your way, Loving stars, M/M, Merry Christmas!, Pining Keith (Voltron), Tooth-Rotting Fluff, is that even a tag?, that's a really long tag
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-12-24
Updated: 2016-12-24
Packaged: 2018-09-09 20:14:54
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 9,996
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8910487
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/VinVictory/pseuds/VinVictory
Summary: He looks into the boy's deep blue eyes and he just knows that there's more to his love for him than it being a friendly kind of love. But will he ever say it? Never until his dying breath.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Okay guys! I'm really excited about making a Klance Christmas Special. This is more of a bittersweet kinda thing. Originally, it's supposed to be just some usual Klance fluff but then I typed it aaaannnnndddd that's there. I did this in chapters because I was worried that it would be too long and readers would be like "I don't wanna read that". So, hahaha, this baby was born. Watch out for the next stuff. :-)
> 
> Also, this was originally tittled as "If it's too cold".

"So, hey."

". . .Hey."

"How's everything going?"

"Good, but I'm still missing you."

Silence.

". . .Dear god, I miss you so much."

"Yeah?"

". . .yeah. . ."

"Well, tell me all about it when I come visit."

"I will."

Keith can't help the tear that escapes his eye and rolls down his cheek. He sighs, "Yeah. . .yeah, I will."

"I have to go. My mom will kill me if she finds out I'm still awake at this late hour. Goodnight, Keith."

"Goodnight, Lance."

He hears calm breathing on the other line as he waits for a beeping sound to end the call. For a long moment, he just listens to Lance breathing, both waiting for the other to hang up. When neither of them has taken the initiative to end the call, Keith hears soft humming in the other line. It's quiet, smooth yet somehow raspy. It's passionate and it feels like it's yearning for something, for someone. Like, the saying that maybe the wolf is in love with the moon, and every month that wolf cries for a love it can never touch.  
Keith can feel it and he whole heartedly listens to every ups and downs of the hum. Suddenly, it stops and a soft laugh carries through Keith's end of the line.

". . .Are you gonna hang up or what?"

"I w-was—"" Keith chuckles. "—I was actually waiting for you to."

"Oh, Okay. . ."

"Okay."

"Goodnight."

"G'd night."

And Lance hangs up. Keith locks his phone and leans his head against the window frame to look out of his apartment. Snowflakes descend slowly to rest at the snow-piled pavement below. He looks up at the cloudy night sky and can't help but feel a wave of disappointment wash over him when he doesn't find the familiar burning balls of light smiling down on him from up above. He and Lance loves the stars and would often stargaze together. Both of them would take turns in pointing out constellations, keeping score of how many can they find.  
He smiles at the memory as he wipes the dry tear stain on his cheek. He sniffles then grimaces at the sky, disapproving of the fact that the stars are now gone.

"Tsk, tsk," A familiar voice suddenly rips through in his mind. A voice that he has memorized well enough to know who it belongs to. "Keith, listen to me when I say this; just because you can't see them, doesn't mean they're not there. The stars are always there to look after you. That's why I like the stars, because I'd have someone to look after you everytime we're far from each other."

Keith laughs softly at the memory. Yup, that was definitely Lance. He knew at that time that he was talking about something that's more than just the stars. He got a feeling that Lance was subtly dropping hints, like hidden meanings. As if he were saying that he'll leave one day. And he was right when one morning, he recieves a call from Lance.

"Goodmorning, dork." Keith answers his phone after the 3rd ring. "I'm surprised that you're awake this early in the morning."

"Keith. . .uh, I'm at the airport."

". . .What? Why? Are you picking someone up?" Keith perks up, "Is it your mom? I know just how much you want her to come visit. Is she finally going to?"

". . .N-no. I'm actually leaving, Keith. I'm in the plane now."

Silence.

"Keith? Listen, my mom had a heart attack and she's confined in a hospital. I need to be there. I know it's terrible of me to just leave like this but it's really an emergency."

"I-I. . ." Keith starts after a long pause, then, "I. . .I understand. I hope she's okay. When will you come back? After, what? Maybe three weeks?"

He doesn't answer.

"Lance? You are coming back, right?

". . .I don't know."

"What do you mean you don't know?"

"Keith, my family needs me to be there. I have four other siblings that I need to keep a closer eye on now that mom won't be able to handle them herself. Dad needs me too."

"Lance, I'm sorry of what's happening, but you know how much you mean to me. You need to come back soon."

"My mom might be dying and all you can do is think about yourself? You're supposed to be a supportive best friend but now you're just making everything worse for me!"

"Is that what you expect from me? Well, I'm sorry if I can't be supportive because right now, my heart is breaking of the thought of never seeing you again. I know I can never match my love to your family's love for you but I'm trying, Lance. I really am."

"That's the point, Keith. Family's love is different from a best friend's. I don't expect you to understand what family love is considering you don't have one."

Keith's jaw drops and unshed tears well up at the sides of his eyes, Lance's venomous words hanging in the tense air around him. 

"It's different for you, Keith. Your biological mom may have left you since birth but that doesn't mean she's dead yet. You'll have a good chance to see each other again—"

"What makes you think we want to see each other again?! I don't even know what she looks like!"

"—but what about me, huh? What if I go there and it's too late? What if I go there and she's gone? I'll never see her smile again. And what if, if heaven allows, she's alright and I do see her again. Shouldn't I be by her side and spend the rest of our days together before the inevitable arrives? Shouldn't she spend what days she has left with her family complete? Are you really gonna take that from my mother?"

". . .That's being unfair of you, Lance."

"Unfair?! How am I unfair?!"

"The fact that you're using this to shove my past onto my face and make you look like you're the nice guy! You know that you're the only one that made me begin to trust people again. You know that you're the only one I have right now and goddamn it! You can't just leave me like this!"

"Fine, maybe I am a little unfair—"

"A little!?"

"—but just because you have a terrible past doesn't mean I have to be the one that'll fix everything for you! "

"You don't understand why I'm angry!"

"Oh, why are you angry then?!"

"Why are YOU angry?!"

"I'm angry because my bestfriend is only thinking about himself when I'm here scared shitless if my mom will be alive or not when I get there!"

"Well I'm angry because my bestfriend thinks I'm selfish when all I'm trying to say is that you should've told me you were leaving earlier so I can go with you, Lance. To hold your hand like you held mine in my darkest of nights. I wanted to tell you that when you said that you might not come back. At least you should've let me come with you."

"The truth is, you are selfish Keith! This is my family not yours. I can't drag someone that's not part of it then think it's okay to my family that I tag someone in our personal lives! Just like I said Keith, I don't expect you to understand what family's like when you never had one!"

"OH, FUCK YOU!" Keith throws his phone to the wall and watch it break into a million pieces through blurry eyes because of his now pouring tears. He plops down at the side of his bed and weeps his heart out, not caring if he's cries are too loud that it'll wake his neighbours up. The bed sheets underneath him are wet from all of his tears. He buries his face into his arms as he cries even louder that his throat is beginning to burn. He has never cried this hard before and it's all because of the person he loves like his own family, the person he loves with his whole heart, the person who doesn't think he's not a part of his family; Lance.

For the longest of time, Keith stays in his apartment all by himself everyday. He just sits and thinks. He barely eats or even takes a shower. And because of this, he's been absent in his school until he drops out. Hunk and Pidge tries to reach out to him, but everytime they try to talk about it, he'll keep insisting that he's fine. Pidge shakes her head in dissapproval. Hunk tries to make Keith eat by baking him delicious food, but all Keith would do is to inspect the delicacy and turn his head away. They come to an obvious conclusion; Keith is depressed. One day, Pidge barges in his apartment with her phone in her hand.

"Talk to him," she commands. "Talk to him right now."

"Who?" Keith moves his bloodshot eyes to her. 

"Lance, the shit head that did this to you. Tell him just how much he's been a jerk to you." 

"No, I don't want to talk to him. I mean nothing to him."

"Keith, I've known Lance for a long time—well, not as long as you do—but I've known him long enough to know that Lance will regret it if he hurts anyone he cares about."

"What makes you think he cares about me?" He deadpans.

"Of course he cares about you, clueless. You guys have been best friends since elementary! I've known you for three years and I really care about you, Keith. How much more of Lance?"

Keith falls silent, then, "Is. . .is his mother okay?"

Pidge beams, "She's fine actually. Lance told me that her condition isn't too severe but nonetheless, she needs someone to take care of her. Lance's siblings are still going to school and he studies online to stay by her side."

In his relief, Keith gives her the smallest of smiles but doesn't say a word.

"You know, he's really sorry of what he said. He's been telling me how he regrets it but can't bring himself to talk to you. Honestly, I am getting tired of his bitch-whining over the phone. Me and Hunk have had enough. So since you broke your phone, use mine to call him. But know that I will kill you with my bare hands if you break mine too. I'm sure you're longing to hear his voice again, right?"

Keith sighs in defeat. He knows that she won't leave him alone unless she gets what she wants. So he puts his palm out, waiting for her phone to be set on it. Pidge cracks a wide grin at him and gladly gives him her phone. He stares at the picture of Lance in her contacts for a long moment. The boy's eyes are twinkling and his lips curved in a wide smile, the faintest of freckles resting across his nose. Keith can't help but let a teardrop fall down the screen. He presses the call button then takes in a deep breathe.

"Nyello Pidgy-bank! Lance-boi here. Watcha need? You know, before you say anything, I'm really glad you called. You see, my youngest bro, Matteo—you remember him right? He actually had a fight today at school and I am so so so so so proud of him because he told me that he did this move that I taught him whenever he's got himself into a fight and Matteo broke the other kid's nose! Can you believe it? I mean, I ,myself, am not strong enough to break someone else's nose."

Keith's chest is heavy as he feels this overwhelming emotion well-up inside his ribs of hearing the voice of the person he loves the most after how many months. He smiles as tears rapidly falls down on his cheeks. Pidge is watching him with a sympathetic look plastered on her face. He forgot that he's not supposed to cry infront of other people, but right now he doesn't care. He can't stop sniffling as he continously pour his eyes out.

"Isn't that cra—Pidge? Are you crying? What's wrong? Is there something I said? *Gasp! Did your computer computer broke down again? That's the only thing that can make you cry."

Keith chuckles weakly through his sobs. He wipes his nose on the his sleeves and takes a deep breath.

"Alright, you better tell me what's going on missy or else I'll go there right now and—"

"L-lance. . ." His lips quivers as he utters the name. "I-it's. . .it's me. . ."

A long silence engulfs them, only his breathing can be heard. He hears the other boy's breath stutters. He realizes that Lance has been holding his breath for a long time.

"K-Keith? Is-is that you?"

". . .yeah. . .hey."

". . .hey. . ."

And in a brilliant moment with shaky breathes, they both say at the same time "I'm sorry." They laugh weakly and it quickly dies down, replacing it with an awkward silence surrounding them.

"Before you say anything, let me explain myself." Lance starts, merely a whisper. "I'm sorry for eveything I said, really. I can only imagine how scary it is to not see someone ever again, someone whom you spent such a long time together. I'm sorry for bringing up your past. You trusted me enough to spill all your secrets yet I used it against you just because I was scared of losing someone myself. When I said that you weren't part of my family, I was lying. You are part of it, Keith. No matter what happens, you are. I'm sorry if I hurt you so bad that I'm not surprised if you choose not to talk to me again, but please forgive me. I miss you and I want to be able to talk to you again."

". . .I'm sorry, too. You were right, I was being selfish. I guess it's because I haven't really felt love through my youth that's why I wanted you to stay, because I feel this indescribable bond towards you. But yes, you were right again when you said I'll never understand what family is like. But maybe you can teach me how."

". . .S-shit, Keith. I'll make it up to you, I promise. Damn, I'm such a dick for treating you that way."

"Don't be too hard on yourself. I know how horrible it must be knowing that your mom might die. Believe me, I felt that way when I was in this one foster home in my 3rd grade. My foster mom was kind but she has cancer and it wasn't long before she passed away. I'm sorry if I wasn't supportive. I'm really sorry."

". . .Fuck, Keith. You're making me cry over here."

Keith chuckles and ever since that day, he knows that everything is gonna be alright again. And he was right. Lance would call him everday. Keith always recieves a gift from him every week by delivery. Lance graduates from his online schooling while Keith gets back up on his feet and finds a job at a nearby restaurant where his former classmate, Shiro, works part time. Keith does that instead of enrolling to another school and continuing his studies. Hunk and Pidge always visits him and they even bought him a new phone so he could call Lance whenever he wants to. 

His phone vibrates, bringing him back into reality. He's been drowning in his memories that he didn't notice how cold it is and he's practically shivering. He glances up at the sky once more and can't help but scrunch his nose at the clouds up above, not a single star can be seen. He takes his phone out and finds a message from Hunk, saying that they should meet up at Pidge's place then they could buy christmas decorations. Keith perks up at this and replies that he'll be on his way. He wears his black gloves and puts on his black jacket over his sweater, then wraps his red scarf around his neck. He pulls his combat boots on, dusts out his black jeans then grabs the keys of his motor bike and leaves.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey, guys! This is the second chapter and I'll admit that it's shorter than the first one. I really enjoy making this and maybe in the next chapter, it's really where the Klance fluff starts. I hope you like it. :-)

Keith runs a quivering gloved hand through his hair then brushes off the snow that has landed on him during his ride. And boy was that ride COLD. It was so cold that he's almost 99.9% sure he rode his motor back all the way to Antartica. He can feel the cold air bite onto the tip of his ears and nose, knowing that it's most likely to be red at the moment. Keith huffs and watch his breath steam up in the air before it vanishes. He leans back on his motor bike and pulls his phone out to dial Pidge's number.

"Pidge, here. You on your way or what?"

"Pidge," he deadpans. "I'm already here, FREEZING. Come out so I can strangle the life out of you."

"Well, sounds like someone has the christmas spirit. Is Hunk there yet?"

Keith looks at Pidge's front yard, then the streets. "Not yet."

"Big guy must be cookin' some mad din-din for us. I'll be down in a minute. I'm actually pretending that I'm doing homework so my parents won't order me around."

"How original. Who does homework a day before christmas? I'll give you three minutes or else I'm gonna break into your window and throw your beloved computer outside to the cold, cold snow."

"If you value that little life of yours, you wouldn't do that or else, I will dissect every flesh, organ and muscle on your body to see how your life form is constructed. You want that?"

". . .I guess waiting out in the cold is better than that."

"Good. I'm gonna hang up now."

He puts his phone back into his pocket after Pidge ends the call. As he waits for both Hunk and Pidge to rescue him from the cold, he sees a familiar figure in the distance, bathed with the radiating vibrant christmas lights coverig the small town. Keith squints as he tries to see the tall figure's face, and sure enough, he sees that heart warming smile he knows too well.

"Shiro!" Keith calls out, waving a hand in the air. The man's smile grows as he waves back. Keith grins from ear to ear in every step the man takes closer to him. He starts talking once his in earshot.

"Hey, Shiro. What brings you out in such an awfully dead season?"

The man chuckles, "Don't pretend that you hate christmas, Keith. I know just how you practically lit up at the sight of the christmas ornaments back at the restaurant when I first got them up."

"Me?" He folds his arms across his chest, a faint blush on his cheeks. "I am not very fond of primary colors blinding my sights, thank you very much."

Shiro cocks his head to the right and stares at Keith with a critical eye, a curious expression on his face.

"What?"

"You look happy today."

"Is that a bad thing?"

"It depends on the reason why you're happy. Let me guess, you're happy because you stole some money from the cashier earlier, didn't you?"

Keith scoffs, "With that crazy dude, Coran, guarding it all the time? There's no way that anyone can even come near it! And how dare you accuse me of stealing greasy-green paper?"

Shiro laughs softly, "Seriously, though. You look ton of happy. I haven't seen you this happy ever since you first started a job down at the restaurant. Is there something you're not telling your old man about?"

Keith blushes then pulls his red scarf higher to his nose. He hums in thought if he should answer his co-worker's question. The taller man smiles brighter, urging him to spit it out. Keith sighs then puts a hand on his hip. 

"It's cause he's visiting tomorrow for christmas."

"He who?"

"He," the shorter boy rolls his eyes. "As in my best friend? Lance? The one I told you about?"

"Oh-him!" Shiro's eyes twinkle. "I remember how you always wished that he would visit. No wonder you look so brighten up, I can practically use you as a christmas light back home." Keith opens his mouth to protest but Shiro cuts him off. "Wait, best friends? I thought you two are dating?"

And it was at that moment that Shiro should really consider using Keith as a christmas light by how his face turned bright red. The shorter boy opens then closes his mouth for a few times, unable to find his voice. When he finally does, it comes out in a squeal.

"W-We're NOT D-DATING! He's my BEST FRIEND—Shiro, what the fuck?!"

"From the way you tell me stories of you and Lance, it sounds to me that you two ARE dating."

"No, I don't look at him that way! And he certainly doesn't. He and I—we're just really close and we've been together since elementary."

"Denial." Shiro hums, making Keith turn a brighter shade of red. "Keith, if there's one thing I'm good at, it's me being able to tell if a person is in love by just looking at them. Well, I'm looking at you now and you know what I see? I see a guy who's been through a lot in his life and at some point, he found that one person where his little heart belongs to, where he's able to find comfort in, where he was able to learn how to trust people. He found the person who's able to teach him how to be happy, to laugh, to accept his bitter past and move on for a better one, and above all else, he found a person who's able to teach him how to love." The taller man places a heavy hand on Keith's shoulder. "It's okay if you're only realizing that your love for someone you treated as a best friend, for a long time, is something completely more than just a platonic one. Love will grow in time, just as long as you're willing to grow with it."

Keith's gaze falls from Shiro's warm eyes down to his snow-covered boots. Does he see Lance more than just a friend? Does the tingling feeling inside his chest mean more than being happy with Lance as a best friend? Is it something deeper, something more in depth? Is it love? If it is, it's defintely something alien to Keith. He never really understood what love is. All his life, he's never had a permanent family. He never had a group of people, related to him by blood or not, to show him or make him feel what love is. He never knew what it's like to feel a mother's hug, a father's kiss; to hear a sister's laugh, and to play sports with a brother. In his foster homes, all he ever felt was sadness, loneliness, rejection and despair. They would cast him aside and toss him to a dark corner like he was nothing.

That was until a voice rips him out of his thoughts.

"Hey, Keith. Hey, Shiro." Hunk greets them from behind, announcing his arrival. Pidge goes out of her house and crosses her front yard to meet them, a smile on her face when she meets Keith's gaze. He looks back at Shiro, his purple eyes meeting the familiar grey orbs. The taller man squeezes his shoulder tightly, and it was then and there that Keith had found what he's been looking for.

"I think I finally found my real family."

Hunk, Pidge and Shiro looks at him curiously. It was Pidge that asks him.

"You found your real family?"

"Yeah," Keith looks at her. "They've been here with me all this time. And in all that time, they made me feel as if life is worth living for, they made me feel like I finally belong to something I'm meant to be in. My real family is you guys."

Hunk releases the breath that he's been holding, "Keith, for a second there, I really thought that you finally found your "real-real" family." Pidge shoves an elbow into his ribs. "Ow—hey! That hurts! I-I mean, hey man. Your our family too and we love you just as much."

Keith laughs softly, Shiro joining him. The man pats his shoulder twice before wrapping his arm around his shoulders. 

"I'm glad to be a part of your family, Keith." He beams.

Hunk and Pidge share inquisitive looks, then Hunk turns his head to them, "Did we miss something here? Why is the air suddenly. . .I don't know, different?"

"Yeah," Pidge says. "I only asked for three minutes and this is where I walk into? Is it because of the damn christmas breeze?."

Keith just smiles in reply as he pats Shiro's back three times before gently slipping off of the man's embrace.

"Well, nice talk. I actually have to go now." Shiro informs, shoving both hands into his pockets. "I'm supposed to spend christmas eve tomorrow in Allura's place. I'm pretty nervous in meeting her family."

"Don't be," Pidge adjusts her glasses as she speaks. "I'm sure they'll all love you just as much as Allura does. You're a great guy and you'll do great."

"What she said." Hunk says.

"And if they don't," Keith smirks. "You'll have us to come home to."

"Thanks, I know I will. Merry Christmas to all of you." Shiro says goodbye then walks off.

"Alright, operation: Buy Christmas Decorations Because My Mom Said So is on going." Hunk says after a few heart beats. "You two are gonna help me because I might buy pumpkins for halloween instead of parols. No objections, just help the big guy out, huh?"

"I'm good as long as you're not gonna borrow money from me." Says Pidge then looks at Keith. "You think we can all fit on your motorbike?"

"Yeah, of course."

"Good cause I don't wanna borrow my mom's car. She'll go crazy if a snowflake lands on her car top."

When they got to the store, Hunk immediately complains of how Keith was going too fast with his motor bike and how the ride was "too damn cold he swore Keith rode his motor bike all the way to Antartica". Keith shrugs then points to the aisle where all the christmas ornaments are displayed. Pidge cringes as Jingle bell Rock plays in the store's speakers, saying that it's too jittery and it's just doesn't suit her taste in music. Hunk scoffs then says that the song's not made to live up to her expectations. This earns him another elbow to his ribs. 

"I need to find the men's room," Hunk says. "That ride was too cold and now I need to pee. I'll be right back."

"So," Pidge starts as they watch Hunk walk off. "Where are you spending christmas?"

"Umm, in my apartment?" 

"With your boyfriend, Lance?"

Keith blushes, "Lance is my best friend."

"We talked about this before, Keith. You know that I know that you know there's more to these feelings than what you assume it to be."

". . .You lost me."

She sighs, "Whatever. I'm not going through this again. Anyway, I'm guessing that you've already decorated your apartment? Well, since you are gonna spend christmas with Lance after our reunion."

"Uh, am I supposed to decorate too?"

"W-what?" Pidge gapes at him. "Are you saying that you haven't decorated your apartment when you have a boy coming over?"

"W-w-well, yeah. That's what I'm saying."

"WHY?!"

"I'm not really good at this stuff. Plus, I don't have any christmas decors so my apartment is just plain white."

"No way. There is no way I'm gonna let Lance come home to a blank apartment. You gotta have your christmas spirit Keith!"

"Is it really that important? I thought it's just tradition?"

"No, Keith. Lance LOVES christmas. Your his "boyfriend"—"

"Best friend!"

"—whatever. You've been with him long enough—you should know that by now!"

"I-I know Lance loves christmas but. . .ugh, I'm a terrible person am I?"

"Yeah, you are. Luckily, you have me. I'm gonna help you decorate your apartment just for Lance's sake. I can't believe you considered not to put up decorations. Do you even have a christmas gift for Lance?"

". . .Err. . ."

"Keith?" There's a warning in her voice. "Keith. Tell me you got Lance a gift."

"I'm supposed to do that too?"

"Oh my gosh—Keith! Are you serious?!"

"What?! I didn't know!"

"What do you mean you didn't know. Last christmas, didn't you give him a gift too?"

"Well. . .yeah. I got him this action figure of an anime he really likes."

"See? You got him a nice gift. Then why the hell are you saying that you didn't know that you're supposed to give him a gift?"

"Uhhhh. . .uhhm. . .hahaha."

"We are going to fix this. You're going to think of a last minute gift for that idiot boy you're so in love with."

"Pidge! Lance is my best friend! Don't you know how weird it is when you say it like that?"

"What's going on?" Hunk asks as he stands beside Keith.

"Hunk, Keith has a boy coming over his place and he doesn't have a single christmas decor in his apartment!"

"Oh, dude. That is not cool. Lance gets moody when he doesn't see any christmas decorations in a particular place. Lance really loves christmas."

"I know right!? What's worse, he doesn't have a gift for Lance yet!"

"Oh my—wow! What kind of version of The Grinch are you man?! Don't you know how horrible that is? Lance is gonna be so heart broken. We are gonna fix this. We're gonna fix this right now. No objections, just HELP!"

Keith smacks a hand to his forehead, "You guys are being over dramatic. Lance wouldn't skip christmas with his family just to come here and see if there are any parols in my apartment."

"No. Objections. Just. Help."

"But—"

"Keith," Pidge snaps. "If you don't shut up and think about what gift you should give to Lance, I am gonna cut your red ears and nose off your face and make it into a necklace!"

Keith swallows but says nothing.

"Good. Let's go fix this."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would love to hear what you guys think down at the comments. Thanks for reading! :-)


	3. Chapter 3

There are different types of torture Keith can name, but he didn't know that there's this one type where you're subjected to put up christmas decors in your apartment while your little friend screams at you about just how much you're a terrible person for not doing this earlier—oh my gosh, Lance should dump your ass—you are so terrible for not thinking what gift you should give to him until now--

"Ugh! How long do I have to stand like this?!" Keith complains as he stretches in all of his length, toes carrying all his weight on the couch while holding up a red sash to the upper spot of a wall as Hunk secures it in place.

'"Uh, when I'm done?" Hunk answers. "It's not easy making sure that these decorations won't fall off the wall."

"Remind me again why I agreed to this."

"Because," Pidge starts. "You're cruel enough to risk breaking your boyf—"

"On second thought, don't remind me. You've been repeating it like a mantra that I've already memorized it myself."

"That's good. Now you can live with that in the back of your head."

"I'm almost tempted to tattoo it on my left buttcheek."

"Lift the damn thing higher man!" Hunk shouts at Keith. " I need to make sure I've putten it up straight."

"Tough luck big guy," Pidge smirks. "There's no way that'll happen since Keith is gay."

Keith's eyes shot wide and loses his footing on the couch, making him fall backwards and land on the floor. His head hits the cold tiles real hard that he's dazed by the impact for who knows how long. The pain pulses at his skull as he's finally coming out of his daze. 

"Keith," he hears Pidge's voice while his head swoons. "Keith, are you alright?"

"I. . ." He frowns as he reaches for the back of his head, checking if there's blood there. When he brings his hand back down, he's relieved to see that it's clean. He sighs, "I'm fine."

"What the hell was that?" Hunk says as he kneels beside Keith. "You almost ripped out the red sash back there."

"You," Keith deadpans. "You mean to say, I hit my head on the floor and all you're worried about is that damn sash?"

"Hey, it's not my fault you flipped out when Pidge called you gay."

Keith gapes and sits up too fast that he bumps his forehead to Pidge's. He smacks both of his hands to his his forehead and grunts in pain, Pidge does the same act.

"Urgh! Keith, ouch? Are you seriously denying that your gay?"

"Am I?" Keith rubs his forehead. "I mean, I just ignore the actuality of me liking boys and just roll with it?"

"Are you serious?" Pidge deadpans.

"Yeah. Now that you're straight-up calling me gay, I guess that hits something?"

"Keith," Hunk butts in. "It's okay to be confused, but this is just naive of you. You're in a relationship with Lance and you haven't accepted the fact that you're gay?"

He gapes at Hunk in his disbelief, then throw his hands up in the air, WHY DOES EVERYONE THINK I'M DATING LANCE?!"

Pidge groans then pinches the bridge of her nose. Hunk grumbles something under his breath that Keith couldn't quite understand.

"Look, let's just finish the decorations so me and Pidge could head home. I'm sure we all just need some sleep."

After they've finished decorating, Hunk and Pidge reminds him that he needs to get Lance a gift. Now Keith is lying on his bed, thinking about what he should get him as a present. It shouldn't be too hard for him since he's known Lance for so long, yet he's having trouble right now. 

He turns his head to look out the window and he's not surprised to see the clouds covering the stars. 

"Never let anyone block you from seeing the one thing you love, and I know how much you love the stars just as much as I do."

He's drifted to a memory where he and Lance were stargazing on top of a hill. That night, patches of clouds were sailing in the sky, covering some of the million stars from their view. Keith and Lance would call them names when the clouds covers more parts of the sky.

"Yeah? But how do you see the stars when they're covered by clouds?"

Lance looks at him, " I look into your eyes."

Keith raises his eyebrows in question.

"In your eyes, I see the universe and all the galaxies it holds. No sky can ever compete with it." Lance frowns, "But it's not everytime that I can see your eyes too."

"What do you mean? Are you talking about me closing my eyes?"

Lance shoots him a flat stare, "No, I'm talking about not being together all the time. Distance is what blocks you from me, dummy."

"Oh."

"But I guess you're right too. Closing your eyes will block my sight from the universe, but seeing you is enough to open the heaven's gates for me."

Keith scoffs and pushes Lance's face with his hand, "You're so cheesy."

'I was complimenting you? And you're welcome anyway?"

"Oh."

Lance sighs as he sits up and looks down at Keith, "So, do you want to know how I see the stars when I'm not able to?"

"How?"

The brunette fishes in the pockets of his jacket. When he brings his hand out, Keith's eyes caught a glimpse if something glowing. His eyes widens in recognition and cracks a dimpled smile.

"It's a glow-in-the-dark star," Keith beams.

"Yeah," Lance lies back down and raises the glow star above them so they could inspect it together. "I got tons of these on my bedroom ceiling since I first met you as a kid. I practically begged my mom for it when I found out we shared the same interest regarding the stars . She was against the idea of gluing anything in the house walls or ceiling, but dad insisted just so I can shut up about it." Lance smiles at him as Keith takes the star. "So everytime we're not in school and it's cloudy outside, I stare up at the glowing stars." He looks back up at the sky in which Keith does the same. "I look at them and I wonder if you see what I see. . . You know, when I was in high school, my mom said that I should take them off because I'm wasn't a kid anymore. And you know what I did?"

"What?" He whispers.

"I dragged her out of my room." Lance smirks. "She never asked me again."

They fall into a comfortable silence as they stare up at the twinkling stars while Keith flips the star in his hand. After a silence that seems for a long time, Keith speaks up in a whisper, like he's afraid to break something in the fragile air.

"I never had glow stars as a kid because I never had a permanent place to put them."

Lance looks at him in concern and Keith knows that he made him sad, again. He doesn't know why but he always manages to ruin everything by making people sad. He feels Lance's warm hand on his and he laces their fingers together. Keith turns his head to look at Lance and he's surprised that he doesn't see that pityful look people would give him everytime they find out about his childhood. Instead, Lance is smiling.

"Lance? Why are you smiling? Is there something I said?"

His smile widens before he grabs keith's hand that contains the star and bring it up to his face. He presses the star to his left cheek and giggles. "Well, you have a permanent place to put them now."

Keith's eyes twinkle as he watch the star's blue light glow softly against Lance's dark skin. Is he really the permanent place Keith has been looking for? Is Lance really gonna stay by his side for the rest of his life? Sooner or later, Lance has to leave him because he has his own permanent place to be in and Keith is sure that's it's not his company. 

"You have me, Keith. And I won't allow us to live a moment longer apart from each other. But if at somepoint distance takes a great step between us, know that you have someone to come home to, okay?"

Keith smiles softly, then whispers "Okay."

The soft thuds of snow against his window is what brought him back from his dream into reality. His eyes lingers around the dark room, like he's checking if anyone was there. Keith turns to the cabinet next to his bed and opens a drawer. He ramages throught its contents and finally pulls his hand back with what he's been looking for.   
He lies back down and inspects the faint blue glow of the glow star, the same star Lance pressed against his own cheek that night. The first star Keith has placed on his very own permanent place, a place so precious, a place to keep.  
He puts the star to his chest and drifts off to into slumber.

 

When christmas eve came, Hunk and Pidge comes over to his place for their reunion with Lance. Hunk brought his very own baked delicacies and his mother's special christmas pasta to share. Pidge brought some of her father's barbequed steak and her mother's fruit salad. She's been grumpy ever since she arrived because her mother forced her to wear a red bow on her head and a green christmas sweater that Pidge finds very "offensive". Keith can only smile to hide his excitement and/or nervousness of Lance's homecoming. In truth, Keith wants to melt on the spot because what if the distance made everything between the two of them awkward? What if Lance doesn't want to be his best friend anymore? What if he found someone else? What if he took off the stars because he doesn't care about him anymore? What if—

"Keith, you with me buddy?" Hunk's voice knocks him out if his thoughts. 

"I'm sorry, what?"

"I said, you don't have to pick up Lance on your motor bike from the airport later. He told me that there's no way he's   
gonna ride out in the cold."

"I can't blame him," Pidge says. "It's freezing outside since it's snowing heavily. Plus, Keith rides his motor way too fast."

"Guilty," Keith smiles. "Then who's gonna pick him up?"

"We will. I'll go with my dad's car that has a heater, unlike your motor bike." Hunk narrows his eyes. "I don't care what everyone else says but that bike is a ride to hell."

"You gonna be okay here while we pick up Lance?"

"Yeah, I think I can manage not to get a heart attack while I wait."

"Why? Are you scared?"

"Nervous mostly, but yes, scared."

"Why?"

"I don't know. It's been years since we last seen each other? What if he sees me and thinks that he doesn't wanna hang out with me anymore?"

"Are you kidding me?" Pidge deadpans. "Keith, would Lance sacrifice spending christmas with his family to come here if he thinks that he doesn't wanna hang out with you anymore?"

"She has a point there, Keith—"

"Yah damn right I do!"

"—You know how Lance loves spending christmas with his  
family."

"And I know he'll love this one because you're his family—*cough, boyfriend, *cough."

Keith blushes then opens his mouth to protest when Pidge cuts him off.

"Don't be nervous or scared, Keith. It's christmas lighten up."

He relaxes as she and Hunk smile warmly at him. He wonders what he did to deserve these people.

"I think it's time for us to go to the Airport. Lance doesn't like waiting too long espcially when it's freezing. He'll complain about it for a week and I want none of that." Says Hunk.

"Okay. Keith, we'll trust that you won't die of a heart attack when we come back, alright?"

"I'll do my best," he smiles sheepishly. Before they leave, Pidge stops at the doorway and looks back at him.

"What?"

"You got Lance a gift, right?"

"Yeah, don't worry. The last thing I wanted to do is break his heart."

Pidge smirks, "Good. Don't break your boyfriend's heart."

Keith was about to shout something to her when she slams the door closed at his face. He winces then sighs. Keith saunters towards his small couch and plops down like a gelatin. He wrinkles out his red sweatshirt and dips a finger onto the bowl of fruit salad then tastes it. Keith sighs, thinking that he didn't have a mother to cook him foods and make him fruit salads. He shakes his head, willing to forget about those things that makes him sad. He doesn't want Lance to see him like this.

"If you keep on stepping backwards to your past, you'll forget how to step forward to your future, Keith."

Keith remembers looking into Lance's eyes while he says that. They were sitting at the back of their class in high school while the teacher was out. Keith would roll his eyes and continues whatever it is he's writing on his notebook. "How poetic of you, Lance."

"But it's true, ain't it?" The brunette smirks, looking over his shoulder to see him. "It's exactly what my Aunty Susan would say to me everytime I think of my past mistakes. She'd stomp all over the house to come and find me and tell me just that."

Keith archs an eyebrow, "Your Aunt lives with you, too?"

"Yeah. I have three Aunts from my mom's side and two Aunts from dad."

"And they live with you and four of your siblings, your mom and your dad, and your mother's parents?"

"Yup, we're a big happy family."

"Just how big is your house exactly? The size of Taj Mahal?"

Lance can only laugh at him, then "I'll take you there sometime. My mom will love you."

"You think so?"

"Defo." Lance beams. "But she'll probably scold you for your eyebugs. You look like you haven't had any sleep. You okay?"

"Y-yeah. Why wouldn't I be? It's just school work is getting the better of me."

Lance places a hand on Keith's and squeezes it tightly. The brunette opens his mouth to say something when their teacher walks. Lance smiles then turns back to his own desk.

Keith grins at the memory. Even at that time, he had felt the strange feelings lingering inside his chest, feelings he can only feel when he's with Lance. Feelings that is so foreign to him. He checks the time and enough has passed that they would be back in any minute right now. 

And as if a force agrees to him, he hears a knock on the door.

"Keith! We're back, open up so Lance can stop his bitch whining." Someone shouts and sure enough, it was Pidge.

Keith's nervousness bubbles back up when he hears the voice of someone who he thought might be an angel.

"Me?! Bitch-whining?! Hunk's the one who's been complaining about getting snow inside the car!"

"That's because dad will kill me if he sees a single snowflake in it. You want me to pass?!"

Keith rolls his eyes as he crosses the room towards the door. He hesitates as he handles the door knob. Is he ready for this? What if Lance has changed? What if he doesn't want to be friends anymore? What if—

The door swings open, slamming Keith right into his face. A cracking sound rips through the air and several gasps are heard as Keith yelps in pain and falls backwards to the floor.

"Crap!" Pidge's voice echoes through Keith's ears. "I'm so sorry! Are you alrighr?"

Somone scrambles to Keith's side and when he opens his eyes to see who it was, it was like he can see the stars.


	4. Chapter 4

Is the water too cold?"

"Why won't you take your shoes off and join me, dummy?"

"What if there are fishes in there?"

"Are you serious?"

"What if there are lake monsters waiting for the opportunity to grab our feet with their sharp fangs and drag us to the bottom of the lake?! What if I won't be able to swim?! What if we drown?! What if—"

"Keith, you should stop dwelling on "what ifs". It'll only get you thinking, but it won't take you anywhere. You should just dive in and see how it goes."

"Wait, I'm confused. Now you want me to dive into the lake?"

Lance groans, "Just dip your feet in the water like what I'm doing. It'll be fine."

Keith takes a deep breath, then slowly takes off his sneakers. The wooden doc creaks under the weight of his steps as he saunters to where Lance is sitting on the edge of it. He carefully sits beside him then tests the waters. It was cold at first, but it's nice. He can now understand why Lance is so happy kicking his feet into the water. Keith smiles at him before looking up at the night sky, the half-face of the moon smiles down upon him along with the stars. All of the twinkling lights and the glowing moon reflects on the dark water, creating a soft reflecting glow against Lance and Keith's skin. Everything is so serene as they just sit there together in silence. The brunette turns his head to look into Keith's purple eyes. In this opportunity, Keith is given the privilege to stare into those blue eyes of his, irises sparkling against the moonlight. In that moment, he feels as if his head is in a daze and it feels like he can see the stars. He remembers Lance telling him that he has the universe in his eyes. Clearly, this idiot hasn't been checking the mirror because he, himself, has the universe trapped in those aqua-shaded irises of his. So, everytime he looks at him, he can really see the stars. But he hasn't seen those stars for a long time since Lance left.

And right now, he can definitely see those stars again.

"Keith? Are you okay? Are you gonna die on me like, right now?"

"No. . ." He blinks once, twice, then ". . .H-h-hey. . ."

Lance smiles, ". . .Hey. You okay?"

". . .Yeah."

"Eugh," Pidge groans. "Can you two love birds save it for until after our reunion?"

"I think they look great together." Hunk beams. "Let them get mushy. It's been three years since they've last met."

Keith's eyes widens, "It's been three years?"

"C'mon, get up. We've got a lot of catching up to do." Lance stands up and offers a hand to Keith. He accepts it then wobbly stands up. He never imagined that their reunion would include his face slamming against the door, almost breaking his nose. Worse, his ENTIRE face. Atleast he didn't pass out. Lance would think he's weak.

They gather around in the living room and helped themselves with the food Hunk and Pidge brought from their homes. Lance himself brought home a box of brownies and Keith puts out the bottle of colas he's been saving for this day. The whole time, Lance would tell them stories about the fun times he and his family had together for the past six years. How he and his eldest brother would wrestle sometimes, how his Aunt Susan would pinch his cheeks everytime they cross paths, how his mother would give him hugs every now and then, and how Matteo, his youngest sibling, would snatch his clothes whenever he takes a bath. Hunk and Pidge would share their own stories about their parents. Keith would just smile and laugh at appropriate times because there's nothing he can share regarding happy memories of his family. But he guesses Lance doesn't quite know about that since he's looking at him right now and asking him what happy memory he can tell.

"I. . .don't really have one?" Keith shrugs. "Most of them are very sad and morbid. I don't think anyone wants to hear that at christmas eve, I don't think anyone wants to hear that at all."

"You said most of them," Pidge raises both eyebrows. "Not all of them. So there's gotta be atleast one happy memory with one of your foster families."

Lance puts an arm around Keith's shoulders, "Yeah. I remember that one foster mom you told me about. She's kind but she. . .died of cancer?"

Hunk and Pidge falls silent but Keith smiles at a memory of the said mother. "Right. Her name is Maria."

"Keith," A smooth feminine voice calls him. "I made you cookies. I know how much you love them."

"Thank you, Mrs. Fuantes."

"Oh, I understand that you're not ready to call me mom yet, but isn't Mrs. Fuantes a little too formal?"

Keith adjusts his round glasses, "It is a sign of respect, Mrs. Fuantes."

"Well," She squats down to his level. "How about you be disrespectful for once and call me Maria?"

His eyes widens with fear, "But I'll get punished if I be disrespectful. I don't want to be punished."

She frowns, "Is that what your previous family does to you?"

". . .all of them do."

Keith sniffs back his tears and looks up to see her smiling.

"Why. . .why are you smiling at me, Mrs. Fuantes?"

"Because Keith, I'm happy to be the first one to not punish you. Well, not that I'm planning to but I assure you, my son, that you're safe in my arms. I will make you feel the mother's love the universe had been selfish to give you. So why won't we take the first step and call me Maria so we can watch t.v. and eat those cookies, huh?"

Keith smiles as a teardrop falls down from his eye, "O-o-okay. . . Maria."

He looks at his friends by the time he finishes his story. Hunk and Pidge has a sympathetic look on their faces and Keith instanly hates it. Lance on the other hand, is brightly smiling at him, the arm around his shoulder tigthening its grip. 

"Thanks for opening up Keith. That's a very nice story."

Hunk sighs sadly, "It's kinda depressing how she's gone now."

"Dude," Pidge shoves an elbow to Hunk's ribs. "That's not cool."

"It's alright, Pidge. I've accepted her death a long time ago. I'm just happy I got to be with her with the little time we had."

After a few heartbeats, they were able to take a new turn in the topic. Lance told them how the girls in his neighbourhood are so nice. By nice, he means coca-cola bottles. Pidge groans while Hunk rolls his eyes. Keith folds his arms across his chest and listens to Lance's rambling intenly.

After that, it was almost twelve so Hunk and Pidge has to go home to their families for their christmas dinner. They said their goodbyes and Keith closes the door. He stands at the door for a while, not sure how to face his long time best friend now that it's just the two of them. Maybe he should open up and tell him his strange feelings he has towards him? Maybe he feels the same way? Maybe it'll all go well? It is christmas. Christmas, wait. . .Christmas. Lance loves christmas. What if he confesses and messes it up? . . .then he'll ruin Lance's christmas. That'll break his heart and Keith doesn't like that.

"Lance?" He turns around but he doesn't see the brunette at the couch anymore. "Lance? Where are you??"

"I'm at the balcony. C'mere."

Keith cosses the room and goes to the balcony, he shivers as a cold breeze meets him there. He sees Lance sitting at the ground, his feet dangling from the railings. The brunette looks over his shoulder with a smile on his face, a finger pointing at the sky. 

"Look, the stars are out. I forgot how beautiful the sky is back here. Back at my mom's place, the sky is almost pitch black and blank I almost forgot the stars exist."

There's a sinking feeling inside his chest. Lance himself told him that he can see the stars and the universe in his eyes. So saying this means that he almost forgot Keith, and he wonders if his suspicions of Lance changing is starting to come true."

"Just because you can't see them," Keith says weakly. "Doesn't mean they're not there." He pauses as Lance slowly turns is head to look back at him. He continues,"The stars are always there to look after you. That's why I like the stars, because I'd have someone to look after you everytime we're far from each other."

Keith let the words hang in the air between them. Suddenly, Lance squints and hisses, "Copy cat." The black haired boy laughs a little louder than necessary in which the brunette can only smile at.

"Hey," Lance starts after Keith's laughter dies down. "Remember that lake we dipped our feet in?"

His heart swells in the memory, "How can I not?'

"Let's spend christmas there. It's almost twelve. Help me up, I've got a surprise."

His eyes twinkles, "Okay."

After walking through the cold night and trudging through the snow with Lance carrying an oddly heavy looking bag, they finally arrived and Keith gasps in disbelief.

"The lake is frozen."

"I know, that's why I got us these." Lance drops the bag he's been carrying on the wooden doc. He opens it and puts out two pairs of skates.

"Wow," Keith gasps. "We're gonna skate?"

Lance rolls his eyes, "No, Keith. We're gonna swim in the lake wearing these in hopes of finding the lost city of Atlantis—of course we're gonna skate!"

"Oh."

Lance rolls his eyes again and in that moment, Keith decides that his best friend hasn't changed a bit over the past few years. He wonders if he, himself, hasn't.

"I'm not very good at skating."

"Good," the brunette smiles. "I'll teach you."

"Oh—wait! I got you something."

Lance stops tying his figure skates on and looks up at him,"You do?" 

"Y-y-yeah. It's a gift." Keith blushes as he shoves his hand into his pocket to find something.

"Wow. . .Keith. Uh, you didn't have to get me anything." Keith looks at him and he instanly sees how his eyes had litten up when he hears that he has a gift for him. "Just being with you is a fine gift for me."

"Right, uh, I insist." Keith pulls out a small box wrapped in a red christmas gift wrapper and holds it out to Lance. "It's not much but it means a lot. I hope you like it."

Lance is practically beaming when he accepts the gift. He immediately rips the wrapper off and inspects the box. He looks up at the nervous Keith then takes a deep breath. He opens it. . .

Lance gasps.

"It's. . ." The brunette starts but fades as his eyes widen in awe. His face is now lit with a red glowing light against his soft skin. Keith watches silently as Lance stares at the contents of the box with complete amazement.

"Yeah, um." Keith starts after long silence. "I got you that because—"

"It's a glow star." Lance smiles up at him. "And it's a red one."

"Yeah, see, I know blue is your favorite color and red is my favorite color so. . .err. . ." He brings out another glow star from his pocket. It's blue and it's the same star Lance had given to him ages ago. "I guess I also want you to have a permanent place to come home to. But, uhh. . ."

"You mean a permanent place for me to stay here when I'm not at mom's place?"

"Y-yeah. I know it's cheesy and I should've brought you a better gift. I know that it sucks and out of all the things I could think of, it's gotta be a damn glow star that you already have in your room. I know—"

He was cut off when Lance suddenly stands up and presses the red star against Keith's warm cheek. The brunette brings up the shorter boy's hand that contains the blue star and presses it to his own cheek.

They stand there for a long moment, then "We're each other's permanent places."

"Yeah." He whispers.

"I can't believe you still have the blue star I gave you."

He nods. 

"I'm gonna keep this little red one with all my heart. Thank you, Keith. I love it. Now, let's skate."

Keith struggles to stand up when they step onto the frozen lake. He was surprised when the skates actually fit. Lance was holding both of his hands in his as they slowly skate together in small circles, their breaths steaming up against the cold air then evaporates. They stop in the middle of the frozen lake and they both look up at the sky. The sky is crystal clear and the stars smile down on them. Keith cherishes this moment. Lance looks down to check the time and it was now twelve. He looks up at Keith.

"Merry Christmas, Keith."

". . .Merry Christmas, Lance."

I love you.

The words almost slipped through his mouth and thankfully it didn't. 

He looks into the boy's deep blue eyes and he just knows that there's more to his love for him than it being a friendly kind of love. But will he ever say it?

Never until his dying breath.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm so happy that I have finished my first very short fanfic that comes in chapters. Now, I'm gonna work on the New Year's Special which is the continuation of this story. It'll be kind of an epilogue and there you'll find out if Keith does confess his strange feelings for Lance.
> 
> That is all, thank you! :-)

**Author's Note:**

> If you have come this far, thank you for the read. I hoped you liked it. Feel free to comment below on what you think or if there are any mistakes. Merry Christmas everyone!


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